


Barbra and Paula: Pre-2009

by bitchtownexpress



Category: Glee
Genre: Adoption, Bed-Wetting, Cheerleaders, Childhood, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Dancing and Singing, Dreams, Family Issues, Female Friendship, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gay Panic, Gen, High School, Middle School, Sexuality Crisis, Sleepovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29911491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bitchtownexpress/pseuds/bitchtownexpress
Summary: Takes place in season 4 or 5 when Rachel, Santana & Kurt live in the Bushwick apartment. Contains a bunch of flashbacks. Rachel and Santana were best friends until high school when Santana meets Quinn and joins the Cheerios.
Relationships: Quinn Fabray/Santana Lopez, Rachel Berry/Kurt Hummel, Rachel Berry/Santana Lopez, Santana Lopez/Brittany S. Pierce
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

"Who gave her the right to act like this?" Rachel fumed. She had been stomping around the Bushwick apartment for half an hour, ranting about Santana. It was one of many diva-driven fights between the two of them, but this time hurt even more because Rachel thought that they had actually gotten back to being friends this time.

"Here, Rachel. Come sit," Kurt lured her over to the couch with a green tea in her favorite Funny Girl mug.

"I just don't understand her," Rachel said quietly, staring into her tea.

"Well, she did try to make your life miserable all throughout high school," Kurt offered.

Rachel shook her head. "But we were best friends until we got to McKinley. Then she joined the Cheerios, became friends with Quinn, and she never stopped making fun of me after that. No matter how hard I try, it's like we'll never get back to how it used to be."

Kurt suppressed a laugh. "I honestly can't picture you guys being best friends. I can just see you fighting like cats. Did you have a good relationship? Is it something to even want to go back to?"

Rachel smiled and thought back to her ten-year-old self, a kid with stars in her eyes, who was best friends with Santana Lopez.

[Rachel POV Flashback]

Rachel danced around in her room to her Wicked CD, peeking out her bedroom door every couple of minutes, just in case she might have missed the doorbell. It was Friday night and her best friend Santana was finally going to come for a sleepover. She normally gets picked up before bed, even if she tells Rachel that she's going to stay the night. Tonight was different, though: Santana promised that she was going to sleep over for real this time.

Finally, she heard the doorbell ring.

"Santana!" Rachel squealed, running down the stairs. She swung open the door to see Santana by herself, grinning and holding her pink and purple duffle bag and "DIVA" pillow. Rachel and Santana were best friends because they both knew that they were born to be divas.

"You're here! I'm so excited!" Rachel rushed Santana through the door and the two girls ran upstairs to Rachel's bedroom.

The girls spent the next few hours putting on performances in Rachel's basement, eating pizza, and playing spa. A classic night for two ten-year-old girls. Finally, the two of them settled down in Rachel's bedroom with some popcorn and The Princess Diaries 2. They set up blankets and pillows on the floor in front of the TV.

"I'm so happy you're finally sleeping over!" Rachel exclaimed. "It sucks that you always have to go home."

Santana sighed. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry I always leave."

"Should we get our pajamas on before we start the movie?" Rachel asked, standing up.

"I have to tell you something," Santana said, grabbing Rachel's arm. Rachel looked at Santana, concerned. "What do you have to tell me?"

Santana took a deep breath and then shook her head. "Never mind. I'm going to get changed in the bathroom." Rachel was confused, but let Santana go. She changed into her pajamas- blue silk with gold stars. It seemed like it took forever for Santana to finally come out of the bathroom, but she finally emerged, dressed head to toe in silk cheetah print.

"Oh my god! We have to watch Cheetah Girls after this. It's so us!" Rachel exclaimed.

Santana laughed and nodded while she slowly sat back down in front of the TV. "Yes, definitely. It's my favourite movie!"

Rachel joined Santana on the floor and pushed PLAY. When they got to the scene where the girls go mattress surfing at a slumber party, the two of them oohed and aahed over how fun it would be to actually go mattress surfing.

"I want to have a big sleepover like this for my birthday! And now that you're allowed to stay for sleepovers you can come, and you can help me plan it!"

Santana shifted and looked down at the floor. "I don't know," she said, "I don't think I can do a big sleepover like that."

"What!?" Rachel paused the movie and turned to Santana. "I know I can convince your parents. They're letting you stay here tonight!"

"It's not that," Santana said.

"What is it then?" Rachel asked quietly. Santana was her best friend and she thought they told each other everything. Rachel knew all about Santana's struggles growing up in Lima Heights and Santana knew all about Rachel's Broadway dreams.

Santana started playing with her hair. "Rachel, can you keep a secret? Nobody knows this at all."

Rachel nodded. She had a big mouth sometimes, but she was good at keeping secrets when they were important. "Of course, I promise. Pinky swear." Rachel reached out her pinky and Santana locked her finger into Rachel's.

"Okay," Santana brought her hands back to her hair and started twirling strands of it around her fingers. "There's a reason why I haven't been able to stay for sleepovers. It's because I don't want anyone to find out my secret."

"What's the secret?" Rachel grabbed Santana's hand and held it.

"I don't know how else to say this…" Santana started, letting her hand stay in Rachel's.

"I... I still wet the bed." Santana made eye contact with Rachel, and Rachel smiled sympathetically.

"Wow, that could have been a lot worse." Rachel leaned in for a hug and wrapped her arms around Santana. "We... might have to cover the…"

"I'm not going to pee in your bed, short stuff. I wear these." Santana lifted up her top and pulled her pants down half an inch to reveal a pull-up.

"Awe, Santana. That's happened to me so many times. And I know a bunch of people who still wear those. It's a medical condition! And if you can come to a slumber party at my house, I'll keep some of your pull-ups hidden in my bathroom, and then before bed, you can pretend to go to the bathroom and put one on! No one will suspect a thing."

Santana giggled and her face was taken over by a big toothy grin. "Thanks, Rachel. You're my best friend." The girls hugged again.

They spent the rest of the night watching Cheetah Girls and talking about their hopes and dreams. Rachel never told anyone about Santana's secret, and she kept pull-ups hidden in her bathroom until the girls were 12 and Santana didn't need them anymore.

[End Flashback]

"Maybe I should call her," Rachel decided, standing up. She turned to Kurt to see him smirking. "You're good, Kurt." Rachel grabbed her phone and called Santana.

Kurt mouthed to Rachel, directing her to put the phone on speaker. Rachel turned the speakerphone on when Santana answered.

"What do you want, Berry?"

"I just don't want to fight anymore. Remember when we used to be best friends?"

Rachel heard Santana laugh on the other line. "You can't get me with any of that. You know I'm not sentimental. I'm not having any of your drama. You're a completely selfish, inconsiderate dwarf and you always have been. There's a reason why I don't like you."

Rachel paused. "Remember our first sleepover?"

She was met with an even longer pause.

"What dreams are made of,"

"Santana, did I just hear a smile on your end?"

"Maybe a little one. You got me," Santana admitted.

"Cheetah Girls marathon tonight?"

"Okay, fine. I'll be there soon."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Santana and Rachel reminisce about their 8th grade friendship.

Rachel hung up the phone and looked at Kurt. "Success! She's coming,"

Kurt smiled. "Can I join in on the fun? I love Cheetah Girls."

[Rachel, Santana, and Kurt are eating popcorn and watching the Cheetah Girls]

"I'm glad you forced me to come back, Berry. This is long overdue, and Lady Hummel being here almost makes it more fun, albeit definitely more gay."

"Santana, Rachel was just telling me about your Friday night traditions, and about the time that you guys had your very first sleepover."

Santana turned to Rachel and raised an eyebrow. "Oh was she now?"

Rachel shook her head and mouthed "Not that".

"Yeah, I was telling Kurt about how we spent all of our time together, and how you abandoned me and completely turned on me when we got to high school."

Santana nodded. "Well, I'm sorry. You know that. And yes, Porcelain, we were best friends. Back before Berry became a completely selfish bitch."

"Just imagine the duets you guys could have had in Glee club. We would have won everything, ever," Kurt said.

"Right!?" Rachel exclaimed. Santana rolled her eyes.

"So did Rachel always know you were a lesbian?" Kurt asked.

Rachel shook her head. "People say I'm a blabbermouth," Rachel said pointedly, looking at Santana, "But I'm a really good secret keeper. And no, I had no idea. I did have my suspicions, though."

"What the hell does that mean, Berry? Even I had no idea I was into girls."

"We did boy-girl song and dance duets in my basement all the time. I was always the girl."

"Yeah, because you were bossy," Santana retorted.

"Not any bossier than you! And what about the time that you dressed as Uncle Jesse for Halloween?"

"You got me there," admitted Santana, and all three of them laughed.

Kurt grabbed a handful of popcorn. "It seems like you guys were really close."

"We really were," Rachel said, thinking back to the final months of their being a dynamic duo.

[Rachel POV Flashback]

It was the last day of 8th grade, and Rachel and Santana were having their very last Abdul-Streisand Friday Night Sleepover before they were officially high schoolers. The girls had sleepovers almost every Friday night since that first one when they were ten. Rachel modeled everything she did after the great Barbra Streisand, and Santana always tried to imitate singing and dancing legend Paula Abdul. Their go-to karaoke songs were Don't Rain on My Parade and Cold Hearted. They even called each other Barbra and Paula as nicknames.

Rachel was in her room, writing in her journal when Santana burst through her bedroom door. Knocking was no longer necessary- they were that close.

"Ms. Stresiand," Santana cooed as she threw her bag and pillow on the floor.

Rachel closed her journal and hopped out of bed. "Okay, so I think for tonight's movie we should either watch Grease or Titanic. What do you think?"

"Two great ones," Santana smiled. "But let's watch Grease. It'll be inspiration for our high school lives."

"Yes! It's going to be the best four years ever!" Rachel cheered.

"What were you writing about in your journal?" Santana asked, laying back on Rachel's bed.

"My hopes and dreams, plans for world domination in high school and beyond."

"Such as?"

"Well, first of all, I want a boyfriend who will support everything I do. I'm going to perform at every opportunity and I'm going to get into a performing arts school in New York, like Juilliard. Then I'm going to become a Broadway legend- most importantly, I'm going to play Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, of course. Then I'm going to meet my mom, because she will have seen me all over the Broadway blogosphere, realized I'm her daughter, and showed up at my opening night. We're going to become BFFs. And then my boyfriend, who will be my high school sweetheart, will propose, and we'll get married and have kids. And I'll be an inspiration to little Jewish girls everywhere for the rest of my life."

Santana nodded in approval. "Wow, you've got it all planned out!"

"Yep! And nothing is going to stop me from achieving all of it."

Santana's face became more serious. "The thing about your mom," she started, as she turned to face Rachel. "You've never told me that you wanted to meet her."

Rachel toyed with the pink fluff at the end of her pen. "Yeah, well, I don't like to talk about it. I'm afraid that it'll make my dads feel bad. They've given me everything I've ever needed and wanted, but I just feel like until I meet her, there's always going to be a part of me missing."

Santana put her hand on Rachel's shoulder. "Rach, your dads wouldn't feel bad about that. It makes sense! Without knowing who your mom is, you can't really know where you came from. That must be really hard."

Rachel felt a little tear coming out of her eye. She cast her eyes downward and nodded. Santana started rubbing Rachel's back, and Rachel started to sob.

"I just want to know what she's like," Rachel cried.

"Well, if she's anything like you, she's probably an amazing diva. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Barbra Streisand herself." Santana handed Rachel a tissue box and she wiped her nose.

Rachel giggled. "I'd like to think so," she was smiling through her tears now. Then she wiped the tears away, propped herself up, and returned to her spunky Rachel Berry self. "Now I want to know about your plans!"

Santana sat back and looked up at the ceiling. "My plans…" she thought out loud. "Well, they're not as elaborate as yours. I just want to be a star. I want to sing and dance like Paula. Or Madonna."

"What about high school?" Rachel asked.

"I want to let go of some of my Lima Heights sass. I don't want to be watching my back and getting into fights all the time like I did in elementary school. But I want to be bolder than I was in middle school. I want to be fierce, and popular. I'm going to be a cheerleader. And I want everyone to want to copy everything I do. A diva."

Rachel looked at her hands and frowned. "But what about us?"

"We'll still be best friends of course. You're the only true friend I've ever had, Rachel. You're the best. And I want to be with you through everything- your Broadway debut, your first Tony, meeting your mom, marrying this imaginary guy, having your imaginary mini-Rachel's, all of it."

Rachel grinned. "You're my best friend, too. You'll be the maid of honor at my wedding. And I want to be there for you through everything, too. Your first Emmy, Grammy, whatever. Maybe we can go to New York together," she suggested.

"I want to go to LA," Santana shrugged. "But we'll see."

"You can be a Laker girl!" Rachel squealed. "Like Paula!"

Santana nodded. "Smart. And we'll still get together every summer and on the holidays and school breaks. Two divas like us, we're meant to be best friends forever. Nobody else is as fierce as we are. We're going to take on the world. And you saved me from those bullies. Somehow, even though you're way more annoying than I am, I'm the one those losers decided to torture. Well, the tables are turning in high school. Paula would never stand for that."

"I'll always have your back, Santana. Now, let's walk over to the gas station and stock up on snacks. The world is our oyster!"

"Now that sounds like a gold star idea!"

[End Flashback]


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Santana reminisces about her introduction to high school and meeting Quinn Fabray.

"Santana, can I ask you something?" Rachel asked softly.

"You can ask, I might not have an answer," Santana shot back.

Kurt put up his hand. "Easy, Santana. We're rekindling a legendary friendship here."

Santana shrugged. "Sorry. Go for it, troll." She smirked.

"What happened? Like, why did you drop me once we got to high school?"

Santana paused. "The Unholy Trinity, I guess."

"So Quinn?"

Santana thought back to her first day at McKinley.

[Santana POV Flashback]

Santana took a seat right smack dab in the middle of her very first homeroom class: freshman English. This is where Paula would sit, she thought to herself. She had her hair up in a high curly ponytail, all ready for Cheerios tryouts after school. She opened up her binder and started daydreaming about her audition routine, a high-energy hip hop performance to Paula Abdul's Vibeology. Her daydream was brought to a halt when she felt the thud of another bright red binder falling to the desk beside her. She looked up to see a drop-dead gorgeous blonde taking a seat. Santana felt her hands get all clammy.

"Nice pony," the girl said.

Santana brought her hand to her curly locks and noticed that this girl also had her hair styled the same way. "Thanks. I'm Santana."

"Quinn Fabray. Are you trying out for Cheerios?"

"That's the plan. You?"

"Of course. I love all of that. Cheer, gymnastics, dance. I want to be popular."

Santana smiled. "Well, I don't think you'll have a hard time with that. You've definitely got the look down. And the confidence."

"You too," Quinn said, opening up her notebook. "You look kind of exotic. It's totally hot."

Santana raised her eyebrows. "Okay… Anyway, let's take over the school. I want to be a queen bitch too. Me and my best friend call ourselves divas. We both want to be stars."

Quinn scoffed and gave Santana a side-eye. "Divas? Are you 12?"

Santana cast her eyes downward. "I guess that is a little stupid," she said.

"I should be your new best friend," Quinn declared.

"Rachel's always been there for me, though," Santana protested gently. "I can't just ditch her."

"Let me stake her out at lunch. Is she trying out for Cheerios?" Quinn asked.

Santana shook her head. "No, she's got plans to go on Broadway."

"Broadway?" Quinn scowled. "She won't even be able to sit with us at lunch after we're on the Cheerios."

Santana started twirling her hair. "You'll like her. She's a really good friend."

"Santana, it doesn't matter how good of a friend someone is. If we want to be queen bitches at this school, we can't hang out with theatre freaks. We can have lunch with her today, but I doubt she'll fit in with us."

Santana sighed. She had never felt so guilty.

[Cut to lunch, Same day. Santana POV]

Santana grabbed her lunch out of her locker and turned to see Rachel shuffling over to her, with another guy trailing behind. "Santana!" Rachel exclaimed. "This is my new friend Kurt. He wants to be on Broadway too!"

Kurt smiled, and extended his hand to Santana. "Rachel's told me all about you."

Santana shook Kurt's hand. "That's a weird way to introduce yourself. I'm not a colleague, we're in high school."

Kurt laughed. "Rachel told me you had an attitude."

Santana looked at Rachel and smiled. The three of them started walking toward the cafeteria.

"How's your first day going?" Rachel asked Santana as they took a seat at an empty table.

"Pretty good," she answered. "I made a friend in homeroom. Her name's Quinn. She's trying out for the Cheerios too. She said she was going to have lunch with us."

Just then, Quinn took a seat next to Santana.

"Hello," Quinn said coldly. "I'm Quinn, you must be Rachel. And you are?" she asked, looking pensively at Kurt.

"Kurt Hummel."

"Whatever," Quinn said.

"Where's your lunch?" Santana asked Quinn.

"Not hungry. So Rachel, I understand you and Santana are quite the pair."

Rachel grinned. "We are! We've been best friends since forever. We have sleepovers every Friday night. You guys can join us! We put on performances, watch movies, give eachother spa treatments, talk about our-"

"That's enough," Santana stopped Rachel.

"I'm in!" Kurt exclaimed.

Quinn gave Kurt a snide look. "I think I have plans." she glanced at Santana, hoping she would say something.

[End Flashback]

"I remember that day," Kurt reflected.

"Same," Rachel said, sadly. "Quinn was such a bitch at first."

"So was I, eventually." Santana admitted. "We both made the Cheerios, met Brittany, and became mega bitches. The diva days were over. Quinn was even the reason that I started to have issues with eating. She taught me that being skinny was more important than anything. Messed me right up."

"And then you guys joined the Glee Club to stalk me," Rachel remembered.

"If Quinn didn't get knocked up, we probably wouldn't be sitting here today," Santana said, smiling to herself.

"Well, thanks Beth. It's like Zoey 101, but the opposite." Kurt remarked, and all three of them started laughing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Santana and Quinn become friends, at Rachel's expense.

[Santana POV Flashback]

It was the second day of high school at McKinley. Santana was worried about what Quinn's impression of Rachel might have been, but she knew Rachel was a good friend, so she was confident. Santana sat down in her seat and was quickly followed by Quinn, who plopped down in her seat with the energy of someone who had just had four espressos.

"Hey," Quinn said as she sat down. "Sleep over at my house Friday. Just the two of us."

Santana froze. Did this mean Quinn didn't like Rachel after all?

"Uh, Fridays I always go to-"

"Rachel's, I know. She told me yesterday remember?" Quinn turned to face Santana. "Look. Rachel's just not the type of person you want to be friends with in high school. She's a theatre freak, just like I thought. Her other friend doesn't help either. It's not like you're leaving her friendless, she's got people that are like her now."

"If I go to your house on Friday," Santana thought out loud, "our friendship will be over. That's like, the biggest slap in the face."

"Exactly," Quinn said. "Rip the bandaid off. If you keep her hanging on now, you're never going to get rid of her. Trust me, she's a freak. You don't need her."

Santana started twirling her hair. "I'll think about it."

"Good," Quinn said. "And no more lunches, either. She's cut off. And she's going to figure that out today."

At lunch, Santana and Quinn took a seat with Brittany and the rest of the Cheerios. She couldn't stop thinking about the fact that she was going to have to explain this to Rachel. And whatever was going to happen, it was going to happen in front of all of the Cheerios.

Finally, there she was, with her new friend Kurt by her side.

"Hey Santana," Rachel exclaimed. "Got any room for us?"

Santana looked at Quinn, and then back at Rachel.

"I-"

"Sorry, this table is only for Cheerios," Quinn smirked, looking pointedly at both Rachel and Kurt. She then elbowed Santana, and gestured for her to tell Rachel the news.

"And I'm sleeping over at Quinn's on Friday," Santana told Rachel in her sassiest Lima Heights tone. "Just Quinn and I."

Rachel looked at Santana, visibly confused. "Santana, can I just talk to you for a minute, alone?"

Santana glanced over at Quinn, who rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"Fine," Santana said, getting up. "But make it quick."

"Just a minute, Kurt," Rachel said, taking Santana's hand and walking over to an empty corner in the cafeteria.

"What's going on?" Rachel asked Santana, with an equal mixture of anger, sadness, and confusion in her voice.

"You have Kurt now, and I have Quinn. I'm on the Cheerios, and you can join some theatre club or choir team or whatever it is that you do. It was bound to happen, Rachel."

Rachel shook her head. "Our Friday Nights are sacred!" Santana could see that Rachel's eyes were welling up with tears.

"Things change. We're different people now." Santana shrugged her off.

"Santana, we were best friends two days ago. We already knew that you were going to be a cheerleader. We swore we'd make it work."

"Rachel, it has to be like this, I'm sorry-"

Santana was cut off by Quinn calling her over.

"Santana, let's go. You're taking too much time with that thing."

"I'm sorry," Santana said, turning away from Rachel, who quickly grabbed Santana's arm.

"But you've never slept over at anyone's house besides mine!" Rachel whisper-yelled, causing Santana to pause for a moment, before she broke free from Rachel's grasp and walked back to the Cheerios table without saying a word.

She watched as Rachel and Kurt walked away and sat down with some other people that she didn't recognize. They all looked like theatre kids- all dressed very uniquely. Rachel will be okay without me, Santana thought to herself.

But would Santana be okay without Rachel?

For the rest of the week, Santana developed her insult-skills, offering rude remarks to Rachel anytime she attempted to make contact. She could tell that Rachel was upset, but she thought maybe Rachel would understand. Rachel knew how badly Santana had always wanted to fit in and be popular, and now was finally her time.

Finally, it was Friday night. Quinn told Santana that her parents insisted on picking her up at her house. "They have to get a feel for where everyone comes from, or else I can't hang out with them." Luckily Santana lived in a nice neighbourhood, and her house wasn't embarrassing. Her mind was going a mile a minute as she packed her bag. "You're fine, Santana," she told herself. "It's just like going to Rachel's, only not at all. This is all you've ever wanted."

Her pep talk was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Santana, that's your friend," she heard her dad call out. She grabbed her bag and her pillow and ran downstairs. When she opened the door, she was met with Quinn- and her mom...and her dad.

Quinn's parents insisted on talking to Santana's parents- something Santana was definitely not used to having grown up in Lima Heights.

After the parents made introductions, Santana found herself at the Fabray's, eating dinner with them at their fancy table, trying to mind her best table manners. After dinner, Quinn's mom told the girls that they could go off and do whatever they had planned. They went into Quinn's room. It was fancy, and themed, and Santana was afraid to touch anything.

"Quinn, your house is a little bougie, it's freaking me out." Santana confessed. "At Rachel's we could sit on the floor and eat pizza if we wanted."

"Follow me," Quinn said, smirking. She led Santana down what felt like a million flights of stairs until they got to the basement. They got to a closed door, and Quinn grabbed the handle. "I bet Rachel doesn't have this." Quinn opened the door to reveal an actual movie theatre- big screen TV, popcorn machine, and theatre chairs.

Santana gasped, taking everything in. "This is insane."

"I thought your dad was a doctor," Quinn questioned her, pulling out some blankets and draping them over the reclining chairs.

"He is, but he'd never spend money on anything like this. We're not white, Quinn." Santana laughed.

"You know," Quinn started as she booted up the popcorn machine. "My dad's sometimes a little racist."

"I figured," Santana smiled sarcastically. "I'm sure everyone who has a house this crazy is a little racist."

Quinn laughed. "Okay, what are we watching?"

Santana was actually having fun at Quinn's. She didn't feel like she was in her second home, like she did at Rachel's, but Quinn's house was insane, and she was happy to be there. Still, her mind kept going back to Rachel, and what she might be doing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Santana realizes that she almost lost out on a great friend.

"Do you like anyone?" Quinn asked, after the girls had finished their evening routine and were laying in bed.

"What do you mean?"

"As in, are there any guys you like right now? I'm really into Finn Hudson. He's on the football team. We could be McKinley's it couple by the time we're seniors."

"Oh, hmm… that's a good question," Santana took a moment to think. Her mind instantly went to Brittany, another freshman on the Cheerios. She really wanted to get to know Brittany. But that's not what she's supposed to be thinking about. "Maybe that guy Noah Puckerman."

"They call him Puck," Quinn stated. "That's what everyone calls him."

"Yeah, I know him," Santana responded. "He went to synagogue with Rachel."

"Finn and Puck are best friends. We have to get with them."

"Deal," Santana nodded. "I have Puck on MSN."

Quinn shot up in bed. "You do!? Let's see if they're online!" She flicked on her bedside lamp and grabbed her laptop.

"Log into your MSN," Quinn demanded.

Santana typed in her msn address: .santana1 and the screen revealed a plentiful contact list.

"Whoa," Quinn whispered.

"What?"

"You have a lot of contacts."

Santana raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Really? More than you?"

"Looks that way," Quinn remarked, trying to take in Santana's flourishing MSN profile. "Oh! You have to change your name to show that we're together."

Santana went to click on her profile to change her display name when she noticed that Rachel had changed hers.

"Rachel Barbra Berry & Kurt & Mercedes"

Santana tried to ignore it. She clicked on her own name and added Quinn's.

"Santana ft. Quinn Fabray"

"Is Puck online?" Quinn asked, trying to find his name.

"No. I'll message him." Santana said as she pulled up her chat with Puck.

She sent him an offline message:

heyy puck, quinn wants finns msn. wut is it?

"Wait, just give him my email so he can add me." Quinn suggested.

"No, I want him on mine too," Santana protested.

"Then tell him to add both of us." Quinn rolled her eyes. "Let me type in my address." Quinn grabbed the laptop and started typing.

its quinn. add me and tell finn to add me & santana. my hotmail is "lqfab".

"What does your email address mean?" Santana asked.

"It's my name." Quinn answered, closing her laptop and putting it back onto her desk.

"Didn't it say L Q Fab?"

"Oh yeah, I was younger when I made it. I don't know what it means."

Santana shrugged it off. Quinn turned off the light again.

"Hey, Q?" Santana had one final thought before bed.

"Yeah?"

"Let's invite Brittany next time. She seems cool."

Quinn agreed, and the two girls chatted for a while until they eventually fell asleep. Santana was thinking about what Rachel might be doing with her new friends.

[End Flashback]

"I'm sorry, Rachel," Santana started. "You were the best friend I've ever, ever had. And I completely blew you off so that I could be popular. And not just that, I was a bully. I was a mean, evil bully. Quinn and I never had the kind of friendship that you and I did. It was always shallow. I really am sorry."

Rachel felt herself tearing up. "This is the first time you've ever apologized to me."

Santana stood up and wrapped her hands around her lifelong, slightly irritating friend.

"I really feel bad. But hey, we're living out our dreams! And we're together again."

Rachel pulled away from their hug and looked at Santana. "So does this mean you're going to be nice to me now?"

Santana laughed. "Honestly? Probably not for long." she pulled Rachel back in for another hug.

"Oh well," Rachel sighed, smiling. "At least we have this moment."


End file.
